Personal Injury Protection is not required, and does not cover, injuries that you may have while you are on a motorcycle and are injured. This is because motorcycles are not considered to be “motor vehicles” under Florida law.

Now, if you were riding a bicycle and you were hit by a car, you would be allowed to make a claim with the PIP insurance for your lost wages even if you were completely at fault. If you are on a motorcycle in Florida at the time of the crash, PIP insurance will not pay for your lost wages (money you were not paid for not being able to work).

Let’s assume that you were riding a motorcycle and you fell off, and then you were struck by a car. You would not be able to make a PIP claim for your lost wags with any insurance company because you would be considered to be occupying a self-propelled vehicle [the motorcycle] and not a motor vehicle. Dunlap v. United Services Auto. Assn., 470 So.2d 98 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985).

If you were pushing a motorcycle that does not work and you are hit by a car, then you will not be able to get your lost wages paid through PIP because you are not considered an occupant of the motorcycle. You are not considered a pedestrian if you are pushing a motorcycle.

Ok. Enough about why PIP won’t pay your lost wages if you are on a motorcycle. Let’s talk about how you may be able to get your lost wages paid.

If you have short term disability insurance (STD) – which most people don’t – make a claim with your STD insurance company as well as your car insurance company. Short term disability insurance is optional. It may be offered through your employer. It is also offered privately as well.

3. Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

In order for you to get paid for your lost wages from the owner – and/or driver – of the car that hit you, you need:

To show that he or she was negligent (careless); and

The injury that prevents you from working to be caused by the accident; and

A doctor’s note saying that you are excused from work.

He or she – or his or her employer – to have money to pay for your lost wages. This usually comes in the form of bodily injury liability insurance.

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist insurance pays for your lost wages and other damages if the driver – and/or owner – of a car that caused your accident does not have (or does not have enough) bodily injury liability insurance coverage to pay for your damages.

If you did not own a car at the time of the accident, if you live with a relative at the time of the accident, his or her uninsured motorist insurance may pay for your lost wages. The bad news is that Florida law does not require a car or motorcycle owner to have uninsured motorist insurance.

How would you qualify for uninsured motorist insurance? It would have purchased:

As part of the motorcycle insurance policy; and/or

As part of a car insurance policy purchased by you or relative that you live with

Let’s take a look a little more in depth look at Uninsured motorist coverage.

“Nonstacked” coverage

If you qualify for uninsured motorist insurance, and you were on a motorcycle at the time of the accident, it will pay for your lost wages and other damages if the driver – or owner – of a motor vehicle that caused the accident does not have enough bodily injury liability insurance to pay for your lost wages and other damages. F.S. 627.727(9)(e).

Nonstacking uninsured motorist car insurance will probably not pay for your lost wages and other damages if you were injured on a motorcycle that you or a resident relativeowned at the time of the accident.

If you are injured while occupying (on) a motorcycle in Florida you may have a big advantage – especially for someone with less severe injuries – over someone who is injured while occupying a motor vehicle.

If a driver’s negligence caused your injury while you were occupying a motorcycle in Florida, then you do not have to not have to exceed the tort threshold to recover for noneconomic damages (pain and suffering, etc.).

No Fees or Costs if We Do Not Get You Money

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I will not become your attorney by you leaving a comment. There is a time limit to file a lawsuit. All comments will be public. This includes the name that you enter. I only represent people who were hurt in Florida or on a cruise ship; or if the injured person lives in Florida or a family member (in the case of a death) lives in Florida. This is because I am only licensed in Florida.

However, we’ve also settled cases throughout the entire state of Florida. This includes several $135K+ settlements for accidents that happened in Fort Lauderdale, Clearwater, Pensacola and others. We’re proud of our results in other parts of the state as well as the Miami area.